Article

State-funded English language news channel RT has found itself at the centre of international attention recently, with its reports on the crisis in Crimea accused of being less than impartial. Monocle goes behind the scenes…

Article

Alexander Lebedev, former politician and owner of the UK’s ‘Independent’ and Russian opposition title ‘Novaya Gazeta’, is not your average oligarch. Here, he tells us why his management style is definitely hands-off.

Article

During the Putin years the process of democratisation in Russia has stalled, with worrying human-rights violations. But a barely heard opposition is fighting back. Led by chess master Garry Kasparov, advised by activist…

Radio

We speak to Olivier Dupon, who has written a book about the most talented pastry chefs around the world, head to Moscow where an organic food revolution is taking place and hear what Colombians are doing to take care of…

Radio

Moscow has been hit by such unseasonable weather this summer that people won’t be surprised if it starts snowing tomorrow. But amid all this chaos there’s one thing that’s reassuringly consistent: poplar fluff.

Article

One has the task of turning round Japan’s only bankrupt city. Another is trying to rebuild a war-torn capital where electricity is a scarce luxury. They are all, however, motivated by a desire to improve the day-to-day…

Radio

The architectural and urban legacy of former Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov remains the subject of heated debate. While he condoned the destruction of historic buildings and streets, he also encouraged architectural experiments…

Article

Article

Isolated and challenged financially, Armenia faces a set of problems common to many post-Soviet nations. But in the capital of Yerevan, a new generation of tech-savvy entrepreneurs is forging exciting links with the outside…

Article

An explosion of state-funded English-language news channels are attempting to transmit not just the news but their country’s brand. From Moscow to Mumbai we report on the new broadcast empires and ask if this is just pro…